Grieving zone
by Billie Leppert
Summary: 2nd Chapter in my Ghost in the Shell fanfiction, this a slow easy chapter, building up to bigger events.


.

Little under 4 hours had passed, and Billie was kneeling on a circular base, The clothes she was wearing where neatly folded to her left, wearing now just a black top and black shorts, however these permitted the charging wires the plug into their respected areas. She had four small wires protruding from four plugs in the back of her neck, the wires brought energy to her facial mechanism, which controlled her facial expressions and also her glowing eyes and phosphor breathing. Another small red wire came from a small gap in her throat which was attending to her vocal expressions. The other significant chargers where coming from her feet, which powered her jumping ability and her knuckles which powered the use of her metallic claws. There were wires protruding from all places in her body, yet these where the most needed ones. The large machine to which these wires were coming from, bleeped and a green light blinked, it commanded the various wires and cables to detach themselves from Billie and slide back into their designated ports. Billie slowly opened her eyes, already feeling the benefit of the charge. She brought her right hand up and moved her fingers,

"That should keep you going for a few weeks at least" She heard Kusanagi's voice through the wireless receiver in her E-brain,

"Thank you" She replied, slowly lifting herself up, she took hold of her shirt and began to button it up,

"Your phone was going like crazy. David seems to be missing you. Don't you find it a little odd that your a full Sgt. Major yet you've been placed with a non-robotic spirit?"

Billie smiled, "It's not so bad."

"Well it might not be so bad as David has put himself in for the neck controller and Internet chip." Kusanagi explained as Billie was doing her tie.

"Any idea why?" Billie asked, Kusanagi shook his head, Billie done the buckle of her belt and began lacing her Doc Martens, "Why would anyone pure want to turn themselves into a machine?"

"Again that I can not explain. If David was still living I could understand, as the living are aware of their own mortality. They fear the approach of thier own death, so they replace anything that could cause them to perish with machinery that can never die, or can be replaced. Resulting in them having a longer life span." Kusanagi sighed, he put his hand in the pocket of his lab coat and pulled out a box of cigarettes, he slid two out and offered on to Billie, She smiled and took it.

"You know smoking can cause damage to you, even though your a robot." He smiled.

"Aye I know, but I never took any notice of it when I was living, so why should I now? and as you said, any parts that get damaged can be replaced."

Kusanagi smiled at her, and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry" he whispered. Billie smiled and nodded her thanks and farewell, Kusanagi waved to her as she left his room. She nodded her farewell to the young receptionist and headed towards the doors, she seemed to be moving at a faster pace then before, and when she was just centimetres away from the opening she held out her right and hand and extended her index finger, it touched the blue circle bringing the doors to life .As she stepped out she inhaled alot of the cold night air, she sighed and continued to walk down Roscoe Street until she reached Bold Street again and headed off into Clayton Square, she took the cigarette Kusanagi had given to her from behind her ear and held it in her mouth, while lighting it. As she strolled through Williamson Square the vision in her left eye turned black and written green letters, 'Dog Food' flashed several times. Billie shut her eyes and shook her head, when re opening her eye it was normal. Billie walked up to a pet shop near The Met Quarter and dropped her cigarette on the floor and entered, looking at the pictures of dogs on the various products brought flash-backs to her E-Brian, she gripped her head and tightly closed her eyes, wishing for it to stop.

"You've entered the grieving zone." Kusanagi's voice echoed through her mind, "You receive more memory flash backs, but you are still unclear as to who you where, what your name was and what these flash backs mean. This could cause frustration. Be careful Billie." Billie opened her eyes and few people were staring at her, with look of confusion and fright on thier face. Billie coughed and took the boxes of Dog Food to the counter, "'Ar you 'right love?" asked the man behind the counter, Billie nodded and handed him a ten pound and took the boxes and headed out. Not wanting to walk, as they would cause her think more she leapt on to the nearest building top and jumped her way home.

The sound of the handle turning, made a small Jack Russell's ears shoot up, it peeped over the arm of the chair to watch in anticipation as the door began to open. It leapt up as a boot came into view and began to jump it's masters leg barking.

"Okay. Okay!" Billie laughed, "I've missed you too Mackie." She smiled, behind down and stroking the top of his head, "I got your dinner!" she smiled, with that would Mackie began to bark and frantically wag his tail while heading towards the kitchen, as Billie only lived in a small flat. As she followed her dog she looked around at the small living room, her large plasma television, her Xbox, scattered RockBand instruments, empty bottle of Jack Daniels lying on her chair. She sighed realising what a lonely life she lead. Mackie's bark brought her back to reality, "Oh sorry son." she giggled, picking up his bowel and emptying the biscuits into it, "There you go my love, tuck in" she smiled placing the bowel on the floor, watching happily as Mackie buried his head in his bowel. Billie grabbed herself a drink and sat in her chair, before she opened her can, Kusanagi's voice echoed through her mind.

"Billie. Billie you need come here and see this. I can't give too much information out through wireless as there may be hackers, but please come back to Roscoe Street ASAP. David's here." He sounded urgent, so Billie leapt to the door, as she was opening it a pitiful whine stopped her, she turned round to see Mackie sitting at her feet looking up at her. She smiled and scooped him up in her arms and leapt out the building, headed to the distraught Kusanagi in Roscoe Street.


End file.
